Durkon has a 5th level spell left.

[johnbragg]

In 875 Durkon says:

:durkon: Roof's too low to use Thor's Might, an I dinnae haf the ten minutes to call the Deva. Which leaves me with naught above 4th level.

He then used a Cure Light Wounds and a Divine Favor, he cast the planar ally spell ("call the Deva") to call Spiky, he used a 2nd level Cure/Inflict Moderate Wounds, and a 1st level Command.

But he never used Thor's Might. (Or whatever he'd call it now.) Of course, now that he's a vampier, Righteous Might is a lot less useful--he already has better DR than the spell gives, the Con boost is a waste. So it's a glorified Enlarge Person.

[137beth]

It might have been a domain spell that he lost. And the GM might have ruled that he doesn't get his new domain spells until he prepares spells again (the rules don't define what happens to already-filled spell slots, so it is the GM/author's call).

[b_jonas]

Some people have speculated that Durkon no longer worships Thor because he is now evil, and as a result, he cannot cast Thor's might, because that's a special spell Thor gives to him. This sounds possible, though I'm not sure it's true.

[rodneyAnonymous]

That also may have been the spell he spontaneously converted.

[Kish]

That also may have been the spell he spontaneously converted.
Then it would have been Inflict Critical Wounds, aiming for Cure Critical Wounds, not Moderate. (Assuming--a safe assumption, I think--that Thor's Might is not a second-level spell.)

[Rogar Demonblud]

It's a renamed Righteous Might. Well above second, that.

[orrion]

Long as we're basing this on things Durkon said -

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0927.html

"I got naught left for magic."

[Evandar]

Also since the spell was actually "Thor's Might", maybe Thor can revoke it, who knows.

I think the statement that he has nothing left for magic is the dealbreaker here. Rich probably just made a mistake here (or Durkon was lying).

[factotum]

There are plenty of explanations for him not having that spell anymore that don't require Rich to have made a mistake *or* for Durkon to have been lying (and why on earth would he have been lying anyway, with no-one to hear him? He certainly wouldn't have wanted Malack to hear him admitting to weakness)--they've already been given in this thread (Thor's Might, being specific to Thor, revoked when Durkon turned Evil and no longer worships Thor; he spontaneously converted it to the Inflict Wounds he cast on Roy; it's a spell from one of the domains that he changed when he became a vampire).

[Mike Havran]

Maybe Thor's Might and Thor's Lightning need the divine caster to worship Thor, and Durkula seems to be without a deity, according to that one Giant's comment.

[Flame of Anor]

Maybe Thor's Might and Thor's Lightning need the divine caster to worship Thor, and Durkula seems to be without a deity, according to that one Giant's comment.

But again, under normal circumstances he would still be able to convert it to an inflict spell.

[Living Oxymoron]

But again, under normal circumstances he would still be able to convert it to an inflict spell.

If Thor's Might is a spell from Thor's mysterious domain, whose spell selection doesn't seem to match any established domain from D&D, then he wouldn't be able to convert to an inflict spell (or to a cure spell, that he could have used in the battle against Malack).

[b_jonas]

Or maybe he's cast spells off-screen.

[Evandar]

There are plenty of explanations for him not having that spell anymore that don't require Rich to have made a mistake *or* for Durkon to have been lying (and why on earth would he have been lying anyway, with no-one to hear him? He certainly wouldn't have wanted Malack to hear him admitting to weakness)--they've already been given in this thread (Thor's Might, being specific to Thor, revoked when Durkon turned Evil and no longer worships Thor; he spontaneously converted it to the Inflict Wounds he cast on Roy; it's a spell from one of the domains that he changed when he became a vampire).

I meant lying to the party about having no magic left. I thought that was obvious, sorry. :smalltongue:

I think it has been established earlier in the thread that the spell is Righteous Might and would have converted to a higher leveled inflict spell.

The options still look like:

a) Rich made a tiny mistake, whatever.

b) Thor revoked the spell.

c) He lied to the party about having naught left fer magic.

d) Do you lose domain spells if you lose your deity?

[Matt620]

I'm not sure if this counts, but when you raise a party member from the dead, you have a 50% chance to lose any prepared spell they had cast.

Is it the same for being raised as undead?

[johnbragg]

I meant lying to the party about having no magic left. I thought that was obvious, sorry. :smalltongue:


Another possible explanation:

He still has the spell prepared, but now that he's a vampire, the spell is so close to useless as not to count.

Increase Size to Large: -1 to hit, -1 AC, melee damage d6-->d8 (slam or quarterstaff)
+4 Strength
+2 to Constitution--oops, vampires don't have Con.
Damage Reduction 9/evil(Durkon) or 9/good(Durkula)--vampire has DR 10/silver

So for Durkula, it's a 5th level spell that nets +1 to hit, d8+2 vs d6, -1 AC, and Large size. Which is basically a waste.

Durkon may have taken the time to explain all that to his non-Spellcraft-ranks having friends in the middle of combat. Durkula, maybe not.

We may never know, but the Giant mentioned the spell in #875, so my $1 is on Durkula busting out a surprise "Inflict Critical Wounds!" at some point on one of the bad guys.

Or possibly Durkula does the mental math I just did of (Large Size = REach and grapple) + (slam attack and grapple = Energy Drain) = Win. After which he explains that he wasn't counting _that_ spell because he couldn't think of any way it would be useful.

[Kish]

I'm not sure if this counts, but when you raise a party member from the dead, you have a 50% chance to lose any prepared spell they had cast.

Is it the same for being raised as undead?
You don't lose a level from becoming an undead creature, so no.

[DaggerPen]

Another possible explanation:

He still has the spell prepared, but now that he's a vampire, the spell is so close to useless as not to count.

Increase Size to Large: -1 to hit, -1 AC, melee damage d6-->d8 (slam or quarterstaff)
+4 Strength
+2 to Constitution--oops, vampires don't have Con.
Damage Reduction 9/evil(Durkon) or 9/good(Durkula)--vampire has DR 10/silver

So for Durkula, it's a 5th level spell that nets +1 to hit, d8+2 vs d6, -1 AC, and Large size. Which is basically a waste.

Durkon may have taken the time to explain all that to his non-Spellcraft-ranks having friends in the middle of combat. Durkula, maybe not.

We may never know, but the Giant mentioned the spell in #875, so my $1 is on Durkula busting out a surprise "Inflict Critical Wounds!" at some point on one of the bad guys.

Or possibly Durkula does the mental math I just did of (Large Size = REach and grapple) + (slam attack and grapple = Energy Drain) = Win. After which he explains that he wasn't counting _that_ spell because he couldn't think of any way it would be useful.

This.

It's entirely possible that he does have Thor's/Righteous Might left (though I wouldn't cry foul if he didn't), and it just would have been utterly useless for actually stopping Tarquin from killing Roy, either because its combat boost would have been minimal or because if converted it wouldn't have so much as slowed Tarquin down, if Durkon was even close enough to cast it on Tarquin in the first place (Inflicts are touch spells, right?)

[factotum]

d) Do you lose domain spells if you lose your deity?

I think the point is more, "Do you lose domain spells if you lose the domain they're a part of?". According to RAW, a vampire cleric must pick two domains from Chaos, Destruction, Evil, and Trickery, so Durkon would have lost any other domains he might have had. Common sense suggests he would also lose any prepared spells belonging to the lost domains, although I have no idea if the rules actually say that or not.

[johnbragg]

I think the point is more, "Do you lose domain spells if you lose the domain they're a part of?". According to RAW, a vampire cleric must pick two domains from Chaos, Destruction, Evil, and Trickery, so Durkon would have lost any other domains he might have had. Common sense suggests he would also lose any prepared spells belonging to the lost domains, although I have no idea if the rules actually say that or not.

According to the entry in the Class And Levels Geekery thread, Durkon's domains were most likely Air and Good.

If Durkula's motivation is still to stop Xykon, then I don't think any of those domains make sense, and the Giant will houserule up something.

And if this battle is over by dusk--or even if it isn't--I expect recruiters to show up at dusk. A 15th level vampire cleric doesn't become a free agent very often.

Options:
Loki--I don't see Durkula going chaotic, so no.

Hel--Possible. She could rely heavily on Durkon/Durkula's and Hel's shared interest in Xykon being placed in his proper--dead--station. After which Durkon/Durkula enters into her extraplanar court.

Nergal. PAtron of Durkula's sire. Nergal or representatives would have to make the case that Malack's plan wasn't orthodox Nergality. Tough case to make. Wikipedia tags Nergal as an analog to ARes or HEracles, fire, the sun, the desert, plagues, and kingship.

Ereshkigal. Consort of Nergal in the OOTS-verse. Sister of IShtar in some myths. High-powered political marriages are not always harmonious, so she could perhaps handwave away the whole Malack-Nergal-rivers-of-blood sacrifice thing, but I think Hel would be a better fit for that. I don't think she enters into the story.

IFCC. I don't see them making much of a persuasive case. Also their noncompete clause with the evil gods could come into play. Possibly they send Sabine (whoops, still banished) the imp just to be represented and to advise Durkon/Durkula, if nothing else to keep the ORder pointed in the direction of conflict with Xykon.

IFCC--

[Kish]

According to the entry in the Class And Levels Geekery thread, Durkon's domains were most likely Air and Good.

Really? I can't find that anywhere.

I doubt very much that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains at all, whether Class and Level Geekery says so or not (although, again, as far as I can see that's a not). I doubt very much more that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains and neither of them is a domain Rich made up (as in, if Rich told me, "Either Tarquin isn't evil, or Durkon has two official-D&D domains," I would reluctantly conclude that Durkon has two official-D&D domains, but that's what it would take).

Class and Level Geekery aside, I doubt Durkon's original domains included Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

[orrion]

Really? I can't find that anywhere.

I doubt very much that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains at all, whether Class and Level Geekery says so or not (although, again, as far as I can see that's a not). I doubt very much more that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains and neither of them is a domain Rich made up (as in, if Rich told me, "Either Tarquin isn't evil, or Durkon has two official-D&D domains," I would reluctantly conclude that Durkon has two official-D&D domains, but that's what it would take).

Class and Level Geekery aside, I doubt Durkon's original domains included Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

We know he had the Good domain because he used Holy Smite on Sabine during the balcony scene.

I remember reading somewhere else that the other was a homebrewed "Thor" domain or something, but can't remember whether the Giant ever endorsed that.

I assume the Air domain came from..

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html

..where Roy asks Durkon to cast Control Winds, and he said he didn't prepare it. Control Winds is Air domain.


I get where the "Durkon might be lying" speculation comes from, but what reason does he have to lie and what would it accomplish? Far as we know Durkon is still in the fight for the Gates from an overall standpoint, so if Roy dies here there goes that fight.

[Gusion]

According to the entry in the Class And Levels Geekery thread, Durkon's domains were most likely Air and Good.

If Durkula's motivation is still to stop Xykon, then I don't think any of those domains make sense, and the Giant will houserule up something.

And if this battle is over by dusk--or even if it isn't--I expect recruiters to show up at dusk. A 15th level vampire cleric doesn't become a free agent very often.

Options:
Loki--I don't see Durkula going chaotic, so no.

Hel--Possible. She could rely heavily on Durkon/Durkula's and Hel's shared interest in Xykon being placed in his proper--dead--station. After which Durkon/Durkula enters into her extraplanar court.

Nergal. PAtron of Durkula's sire. Nergal or representatives would have to make the case that Malack's plan wasn't orthodox Nergality. Tough case to make. Wikipedia tags Nergal as an analog to ARes or HEracles, fire, the sun, the desert, plagues, and kingship.

Ereshkigal. Consort of Nergal in the OOTS-verse. Sister of IShtar in some myths. High-powered political marriages are not always harmonious, so she could perhaps handwave away the whole Malack-Nergal-rivers-of-blood sacrifice thing, but I think Hel would be a better fit for that. I don't think she enters into the story.

IFCC. I don't see them making much of a persuasive case. Also their noncompete clause with the evil gods could come into play. Possibly they send Sabine (whoops, still banished) the imp just to be represented and to advise Durkon/Durkula, if nothing else to keep the ORder pointed in the direction of conflict with Xykon.

IFCC--

I doubt this will happen, as it is fully possible that he remains a nontheistic vampire cleric, gaining spells from pure negative energy...

But I think it'd make for a great comic to see the gods bicker. Since the prophesy predicts Durkon WILL make it home, I think he would stick with a dwarven god - perhaps Dumathoin (if available.) That would require Durkon be NE, but that's doable. The Silent Keeper sorta fits Durkon now, as he doesn't seem to have much to say or contribute after rejoining the OOTS.

[Kish]

Given that Rich has thus-far stuck to the Norse pantheon for Northerners in general and dwarves in particular, I think the chances of his abruptly bringing in D&D dwarven gods are negligible.

[johnbragg]

Really? I can't find that anywhere.

I doubt very much that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains at all, whether Class and Level Geekery says so or not (although, again, as far as I can see that's a not). I doubt very much more that Rich has nailed down Durkon's domains and neither of them is a domain Rich made up (as in, if Rich told me, "Either Tarquin isn't evil, or Durkon has two official-D&D domains," I would reluctantly conclude that Durkon has two official-D&D domains, but that's what it would take).

Class and Level Geekery aside, I doubt Durkon's original domains included Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16322216&postcount=3

It's not the Giant speaking, but it's the forum's best guess, as far as I know.

It's also very likely that the Giant has never specified Durkon's domains anyway. If Holy Smite, Control Winds, and Thor's Lightning (AKA Lightning Bolt) aren't on the SRD/WOTC Cleric list, well the Giant says they are for Thor's clerics.

I don't expect the Giant to leave Durkula as a nontheistic cleric. There's too much story and character development in the next scene after the battle, where different evil gods and factions try to recruit Durkula.

I also don't expect the Giant to stick to RAW for Durkon's domains. If Durkula signs on as Hel's High Priest, and Hel wants to give Durkon the Healing and Earth domains, then RAW can suck it.

[Kish]

Where does that say Durkon has the Air domain? If I read the post it appears to say nothing of the sort; if I do a find on the page for Air I only find the end of "Crushing Despair."

But, yes. I think there's some potential in Vampire Durkon choosing to embrace not worshiping any power higher than himself, but more likely, he'll still feel that he has a priestly calling, whether Thor answers his prayers or not.

[johnbragg]

Where does that say Durkon has the Air domain? If I read the post it appears to say nothing of the sort; if I do a find on the page for Air I only find the end of "Crushing Despair."

You're right, I must have seen that somewhere else in my googling. The logic was that he cast Holy Smite(Good) and Roy asked him about Control Winds(Air).

So if the Giant is held to RAW, then Durkon must have those domains. If the Giant houserules like just about every GM ever, then Durkon's (former) domains are a mystery.

It's possible that Thor's Might was a Thor Domain spell, and Durkula doesn't have the Thor domain and so lost the spell. But I think Durkon has one more Thor's Might in his pocket which he will use to give himself Reach with an energy-draining slam attack.


But, yes. I think there's some potential in Vampire Durkon choosing to embrace not worshiping any power than himself, but more likely, he'll still feel that he has a priestly calling, whether Thor answers his prayers or not.

Even if Durkula decides to stay a free agent, I think that if one of the highest level clerics in the campaign world is suddenly a free agent, there will be recruitment offers. Heck, why *wouldn't* Hel and Loki give it a try? Why wouldn't the IFCC stick their fingers in that particular pie? Why wouldn't some of the LN or evil Southern gods take a shot?

[johnbragg]

I think in light of recent events (strip 929), Righteous Might looks a lot less useless for Durkula than it did a few strips ago.

(After Protection From Daylight) Get Large, Reach LAurin, Grapple Laurin for blood drain, then snap her neck when she's down around Belkar's range. Or vamp her and make her a thrall and find out what defenses Xykon has against psionics.

[Perseus]

Until we see Thor revoke spells then Durkon still has them. At the time of prayer Durkon worshiped Thor and Thor gave him the spells (which we seen Durkon use). Thor probably doesn't even know that Durkon is a vampire yet... With the way he pays attention when he is busy doing other things.

If Durkon had Thor's Might then he could still cast it because it has yet to be shown to be taken away from him.

Gods in D&D aren't all knowing and all powerful, hell Ur-Priest tend to steal divine magic from gods.

So if he had Thor's Might it would still be Thor's Might until taken away. Also of course as with any of this it comes down to Rich's opinion and creative mojo. A cleric that was good that becomes evil still has the same spells prepared as before, he may not be able to cast any :good: spells but anything else, until revoked by the deity, is fair game.

We see evidence in this because Durkon didn't pray or draw energy from the negative energy plane or any deity. So the only place he is getting his spells from is the ones he got from Thor (which if he got new spells he wouldn't be tapped out right now).

Basically if I gave you 5 apples but decided if you ever pissed me off I would take the 5 apples. You do something I hate but I'm in China while you are in England... Until I find out about what you did I haven't taken the apples away.

[Souhiro]

I think that Durkon should be able to cast it. In general, you don't even need your god to cast spells once they are granted to you.

Ah) If your cleric get spells from a certain goddess (Let's call her Meestra) you pray for spells at the morning and she dies in the afternoon, you still have the spells you retain in your memory/soul/whatever they are stored until you cast them.

Bee) If your cleric travel to another plane (Say, from Greyhawk to Faerun) and your patron god isn't there, you still retain and can cast the spells that you have normally.

In those two cases, you cannot pray for new spells, because your patron god cannot hear you, but you still have the power that it was given to you, Thus I firmly believe that Durkon retains the spell. He could cast it (Altough it wouldn't be that useful) and convert it to a Inflict X wounds. (But draining Laurie would be more useful, then...)

[Psyren]

I'm guessing the folks saying being Large would be pointless for a melee character - especially in a big open battlefield - haven't played much D&D.

But if RM was indeed his domain spell then the point is moot since he lost that domain.

[Souhiro]

I'm guessing the folks saying being Large would be pointless for a melee character - especially in a big open battlefield - haven't played much D&D.

But if RM was indeed his domain spell then the point is moot since he lost that domain.

He may have lost the domain, but not the prepared spells!

[Psyren]

He may have lost the domain, but not the prepared spells!

By RAW, the domain "gives him access to the domain spell." No domain, no access, which would apply whether it was previously-prepared or not.

I agree he would keep his regular cleric spells, but domains are a different animal.

Of course, there's no way to tell if the Giant is following this interpretation, had Durkon lose the spell off-panel, simply overlooked the spell's existence or is saving it for an 11th-hour save... such as the one needed here.

("HEL'S MIGHT!" would be a suitably epic way to turn this fight around provided Durkon doesn't fry.)

[orrion]

By RAW, the domain "gives him access to the domain spell." No domain, no access, which would apply whether it was previously-prepared or not.

I agree he would keep his regular cleric spells, but domains are a different animal.

Of course, there's no way to tell if the Giant is following this interpretation, had Durkon lose the spell off-panel, simply overlooked the spell's existence or is saving it for an 11th-hour save... such as the one needed here.

("HEL'S MIGHT!" would be a suitably epic way to turn this fight around provided Durkon doesn't fry.)

That's the thing. Durkon needs to spend his next action making sure he doesn't fry, so even if he had a spell left he can't use it right now.

Even if we grant that Durkon has a 5th level spell left, I'm not seeing anything on the spell list that would be particularly useful. Maybe Greater Command, but both Tarquin and Laurin are likely to resist that. Slay Living on Laurin, perhaps, but again likely to resist it and it's a touch attack anyway.

And all that is assuming it's a 5th level spell in general and not a domain slot. The Vampire domains last I checked are Chaos, Destruction, Evil, and Trickery. That would give him access to Dispel Law, Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Dispel Good, and False Vision. All of which are absolutely worthless in the current situation.

[AstralFire]

I'm guessing the folks saying being Large would be pointless for a melee character - especially in a big open battlefield - haven't played much D&D.

But if RM was indeed his domain spell then the point is moot since he lost that domain.

It's arguable here. Few of the Order besides Roy would survive very long being made the principal fire target, and when a vampire dwarf lacking a shield that's been dominating your men becomes giant, he should become a kill target. He does gain reach, but can he even use that staff as effective melee?

[orrion]

It's arguable here. Few of the Order besides Roy would survive very long being made the principal fire target, and when a vampire dwarf lacking a shield that's been dominating your men becomes giant, he should become a kill target. He does gain reach, but can he even use that staff as effective melee?

The staff seemed to be pretty effective when he smacked Nale with it and knocked Zz'dtri out.

[AstralFire]

The staff seemed to be pretty effective when he smacked Nale with it and knocked Zz'dtri out.

Mm. Maybe. Beat up wizard, while the also quite-beat-up caster hybrid mostly got surprised and ran before the fight could inevitably play out against a ... er ... unhealthy vampire. But good point.

[Psyren]

It's arguable here. Few of the Order besides Roy would survive very long being made the principal fire target, and when a vampire dwarf lacking a shield that's been dominating your men becomes giant, he should become a kill target. He does gain reach, but can he even use that staff as effective melee?

When it comes down to it, your weapon doesn't matter very much in D&D past a certain level, and the Order has definitely crossed that threshold. So long as you can wield it 2-handed, most of your damage will simply come from Strength - and Durkon right now is a powerhouse, never mind if he became Large on top of that.

Reach would also give him more opportunities to smack both Laurin and Tarquin with his routine, similar to what he did to Z and Nale.

[JustAnotherSoul]

By RAW, the domain "gives him access to the domain spell." No domain, no access, which would apply whether it was previously-prepared or not.

I agree he would keep his regular cleric spells, but domains are a different animal.

Of course, there's no way to tell if the Giant is following this interpretation, had Durkon lose the spell off-panel, simply overlooked the spell's existence or is saving it for an 11th-hour save... such as the one needed here.

("HEL'S MIGHT!" would be a suitably epic way to turn this fight around provided Durkon doesn't fry.)

Access means "Can be prepared".
Access does not mean "Able to cast".
From the SRD: "With access to two domain spells at a given spell level, a cleric prepares one or the other each day in his domain spell slot. If a domain spell is not on the cleric spell list, a cleric can prepare it only in his domain spell slot."

[johnbragg]

I'm guessing the folks saying being Large would be pointless for a melee character - especially in a big open battlefield - haven't played much D&D.

But if RM was indeed his domain spell then the point is moot since he lost that domain.

It's not that it's pointless, it's that it's underpowered for a 5th level spell. Durkon/Durkula is used to getting a long list of benefits from Thor's Might. That list has now been reduced to Enlarge Person, a first-level wizard spell.

That's why Durkula may not have counted it when telling the party he was "out of magic".

[orrion]

It's not that it's pointless, it's that it's underpowered for a 5th level spell. Durkon/Durkula is used to getting a long list of benefits from Thor's Might. That list has now been reduced to Enlarge Person, a first-level wizard spell.

That's why Durkula may not have counted it when telling the party he was "out of magic".

So.. then why didn't he say "I got naught fer useful magic"?

[johnbragg]

So.. then why didn't he say "I got naught fer useful magic"?

Because they're kind of busy and Durkula didn't want to waste time answering followup questions.

[137beth]

Even if he could cast it, it likely wouldn't be worth his standard action right now. Psions are hurt more by negative levels than almost anything in the game (casters can be hurt if they are low on high level spells, but manifesters lose the ability to manifest their highest level powers and to augment other powers to their full potential, since they can't spend more pp at once then their effective manifester level). If he did enlarge himself, he wouldn't be able to make use of it until his next turn (unless he was exactly 10 feet away from Laurin before enlarging, which would give him an AoO against Laurin, but only then if she failed a concentration check she could probably pass). He'd be much better off (if he gets a round in which he is not about to burn up) running forwards and slamming her. Each slam reduces her ability to augment dispel psionics, further protecting Durkon, and hurts pretty much everything else Laurin can do. Even a deathward-type effect doesn't negate existing negative levels. A couple slams (or optionally a use of a wand of enervation from Haley) would largely neutralize the immediate threat Laurin poses, likely allowing Durkon to finish her off solo with minimal risk, and freeing Haley and V to go fight Tarquin. The crucial point is that each attack Durkon lands reduces the threat Laurin poses, so he wants to start draining her as soon as possible, and spending a standard action to gain reach won't help him do that.

[Amphiox]

For the "Durkon is lying" possibility, consider that the word "naught", while technically meaning "zero", is often colloquially used to also mean "very little", or even "nothing useful".

In other words, having one spell left, could count, particularly for a now evil vampire who might be less disinclined to fudge his words than he might have been when he was alive and good.

[johnbragg]

Even if he could cast it, it likely wouldn't be worth his standard action right now.

I don't think the Giant always sticks closely to the rules on action economy. Many times we've seen a character cast three or four spells in the same panel (although usually not in combat.)

So the chain would be something like
Protection from Daylight (staff)
Unholy Might
Use reach to grab and grapple Laurin, draining levels instead of blood.


The crucial point is that each attack Durkon lands reduces the threat Laurin poses, so he wants to start draining her as soon as possible, and spending a standard action to gain reach won't help him do that.

He'd gain reach, and also improve his grapple. GRapple is usually used by vampires to drain blood and Con, but I don't see any reason it couldn't be used to drain levels instead.

[Perseus]

I don't think the Giant always sticks closely to the rules on action economy. Many times we've seen a character cast three or four spells in the same panel (although usually not in combat.)

So the chain would be something like
Protection from Daylight (staff)
Unholy Might
Use reach to grab and grapple Laurin, draining levels instead of blood.



He'd gain reach, and also improve his grapple. GRapple is usually used by vampires to drain blood and Con, but I don't see any reason it couldn't be used to drain levels instead.

A Vampire can touch you and not drain a level because the level drain needs a slam attack. Though the grapple itself wouldn't work he may be able to still use a slam attack during the grapple... Not sure about that one though.

The smartest thing for the OoTS to do is have someone say "hey I have nothing left to do, time for bed". Cause you know, when you say that then night falls...

[orrion]

Because they're kind of busy and Durkula didn't want to waste time answering followup questions.

Or maybe it's the truth.